Cashew Cheese Bruschetta

These past two weeks have been exciting, busy, and jam packed with a million things to do. The presentation at Marlene’s last Saturday was a huge success! The presentation area filled up quick, and we had to add more chairs and push tables to the wall to make room for everyone. Feedback was great, and we raised $266, which is the most we have raised at one fundraiser to date! We are projecting that the fundraiser this weekend will surpass that!

This Sunday, July 17th is our big community garage sale and free vegan BBQ! We’ll be at it from 10am-10pm, so stop by anytime for some great deals and hot grub! Thanks to sponsors like Tofurky, Follow Your Heart, Field Roast, and Townshend’s Brew Dr. kombucha, there will be no shortage of free food, fresh off the grill! I’m not exaggerating when I tell you that we have received some seriously awesome donations of items to sell – furniture, yard equipment, pet supplies, kitchen utensils, art, clothing, and more!

With all of that being said, I’ve been taking it easy in the kitchen and sticking with easy “weeknight meals” to try to keep at least that part of my day simple. This cashew cheese bruschetta is extremely easy, crowd pleasing, versatile, and it comes together in minutes. You can use any blender or food processor for the cashew cheese. I prefer to use a food processor because I like the gritty texture. Play with the seasonings a bit to suit your taste. Serve this bruschetta as a lite meal, a side, or an appetizer.

Dice the tomatoes into small pieces. Combine the vinegar, oil, herbs, and black pepper in a bowl. Stir in the tomatoes; set aside.

Strain the water from the cashews. Combine all of the ingredients under “cashew cheese” in a food processor or blender. Add water to make it more spreadable if necessary. Taste and adjust seasonings – it should taste a bit on the salty side.

Spread some of the cashew cheese on however many slices of bread you would like to serve. Top each slice with a spoonful or two of tomatoes.

Place the bruschetta on a low rimmed baking sheet. Toast for 5-8 minutes. Keep a close eye, and be careful not to burn! When the edges turn golden, remove from oven and serve immediately. (Optional – toast bread slices lightly before spreading cashew cheese. Rub a clove of garlic over the toasted bread, then top with cheese and tomatoes, and toast in the oven.)